The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Weigela, grown as an ornamental plant for use in the garden and landscape. The new cultivar is known botanically as Weigela middendorffiana and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘Mango’.
Unlike the common pink and red flowered species and cultivars of Weigela florida, the yellow-flowered species Weigela middendorffiana is rarely encountered in cultivation or in commerce and no cultivars are known to the inventor. Plants of Weigela middendorfiana which are raised from seed are variable in height, habit, flower production and flower color.
Commencing in 2006, the inventor sought to develop a cultivar of Weigela middendorffiana with desirable commercial characteristics. Each year, the inventor raised new plants from seeds retained from promising plants identified and set aside from previous generations of open pollination. The new cultivar ‘Mango’ was selected by the inventor in 2011 as a single plant from amongst a crop of mature plants of unnamed Weigela middendorffiana (species, unpatented) which were growing at the inventor's nursery in Romsey, Hampshire, United Kingdom. ‘Mango’ was selected by the inventor for its unique combination of improved branching, plant density, number and arrangement of flowers and, most significantly, the striking deep orange-red coloration exhibited on the throat or lower petals of certain flowers as they mature.
Asexual reproduction by softwood cuttings of the new cultivar ‘Mango’ was accomplished by the inventor in 2011 at the inventor's nursery in Romsey, Hampshire, United Kingdom. Since that time, the unique characteristics of the new Weigela plant have been uniform, stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.